Multi-resource appointment scheduling implies that for multiple appointment solutions, different resources are at stake.
The user could limit the number of resources before searching for adequate solutions, but for a number of reasons he prefers not to do so.
Examples are:                Searching for the first available consultation for a cardiologist, gives a larger degree of freedom, than to limit the search to one specific cardiologist        In multi-site (multi-hospital) situations, one would like to know the first possible appointment for a similar procedure type, independent of the location. In other words, one cannot first look into one location, and then start alternative searches to find out if earlier solutions are available at other locations or not.        
Additionally, when being confronted with the possible solutions, one would like to find a certain solution with the least possible cost (=time to find the desired solution). Typical situations the user would like to handle:                show me the first possibilities in time, independent from the resource        show me the first possibility for a specific resource (eg. the preferred cardiologist), but in case not satisfactory (eg. too far in the future), possibility to switch to the first possibility for another resource, or independent from resources        
Finally, patient may have the following requests:                show me the first possible solution after 5 pm or before 8 am        I prefer Dr. A, but if not available on short term notice, Dr. B or else, give me an alternative        I prefer Hospital A (because it's the nearest by), then hospital B or else, give me the earliest possible solution        
Existing scheduling applications need to restart a search engine to be able to answer to the problem situations stated above. This combined with the unpredictability of each search and combined with the patient demands, enlarges substantially the cost for booking an adequate appointment.
Additionally, solutions are currently mostly presented on a list basis. Such lists are not practical when one has to retrieve a solution in time.
It is an aspect of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art appointment scheduling systems.